Old Mother Hubbard

★ Old Mother Hubbard History:

Another Mother Goose nursery rhyme, the Old Mother Hubbard can be found in the Roud Folk Song Index under the number 19334.  Although originally a nursery rhyme today it has many more uses, from entertainment to practical uses in marketing. 

The first publishing of this song can be found in The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and her Dog in 1805. The immediate popularity of the song can be attributed to the marketing skills of John Harris, the publisher.

The moral lesson from the song is an encouragement to get around problems, such as not having a bone and instead find another solution, such as going to the baker and getting some bread. 

★ Old Mother Hubbard Lyrics:

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone:
When she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker‘s
To buy him some bread;
When she came back
The dog was dead!

She went to the undertaker‘s
To buy him a coffin;
When she came back
The dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish
to get him some tripe;
When she came back
He was smoking his pipe.

She went to the alehouse
To get him some beer;
When she came back
The dog sat in a chair.

She went to the tavern
For white wine and red;
When she came back
The dog stood on his head.

She went to the fruiterer‘s
To buy him some fruit;
When she came back
He was playing the flute.

She went to the tailor‘s
To buy him a coat;
When she came back
He was riding a goat.

She went to the hatter‘s
To buy him a hat;
When she came back
He was feeding her cat.

She went to the barber‘s
To buy him a wig
When she came back
He was dancing a jig.

She went to the cobbler‘s
To buy him some shoes;
When she came back
He was reading the news.

She went to the sempstress
To buy him some linen;
When she came back
The dog was spinning.

The Dame made a curtsy,
The dog made a bow;
The Dame said, Your servant;
The dog said, Bow-wow.

This wonderful dog
Was Dame Hubbard‘s delight,
He could read, he could dance,
He could sing, he could write;
She gave him rich dainties
Whenever he fed,
And erected this monument
When he was dead.